Ephesians 2:1-9 “By grace… through faith”

 

Ephesians 2:1-9 “By grace… through faith”

Whose and what faith?

"8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast."

v8 is so often quoted to mean that a man is saved by grace through faith, i.e. his act of believing.

Read the passage with a dose of common sense, and you will see some obvious reasons why such understanding plainly contradicts the passage.

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Some preliminary observations:

a. “by grace” speaks of the MANNER God saves. It is God who saves in and through His Son Jesus Christ.
- God saves by grace, His free and sovereign grace; “by grace” excludes activities/works of man by man.
- Rom 11:6 grace and works are mutually exclusive in the salvation of sinners.

b. “through faith” speaks of the MEANS through/by which salvation is freely bestowed, i.e. by grace.

c. Quickening one dead in trespasses and sins is the bestowal of eternal salvation… saved by grace, v1.5,8.

Let us unpack the passage by asking some relevant questions:

Q1. What state were you in when were you saved by grace through faith?
- v5 “we were dead in sins…”
- v1 “who were dead in trespasses and sins”
- Dead concerning any ability to bring himself to God; hostile and in enmity against Him. “by nature the children of wrath.” Under the dominion of the prince of the power of the air

Q2. When you were dead in sins, were you able to exercise faith to believe in Christ?
- No.   
- John 3:3,6; 1Cor 2:14

Q3. Supposing faith is the gift of God, is the gift of faith to a spiritually dead man of any use to him?  
- No.

Q4. Do you believe in a God who would give the gift of faith to a spiritually dead man so that he could exercise that faith in order to be saved by His grace?
- No.
- Faith is NOT the gift; Salvation by Jesus Christ is the gift.
- A gift comes to you from without; Faith is a fruit of the Spirit, worked within a child of God. Gal 5:22.

Q5. What then is the gift of God? What is by grace?
- Eternal salvation is by grace; the context speaks of salvation by God's grace.
- Salvation is freely bestowed, applied to an elect when he was dead in trespasses and sins, incapable of faith.

Q6. What is the ground and basis of this gift of God?
- It is the finished work of Christ in redeeming His people.
- It is by His life (active obedience to secure righteousness) and death (passive obedience to secure the forgiveness of sins). Heb 9:12, 15

Q7 "... through faith..."
- is a man's act of believing in Christ performed by him?  Yes.
- is an act performed by a man his work? Yes.
- if a man is saved by grace through his act of believing, then isn't he saved by grace through his own work? Yes
- “NOT of works" :- John 6:28-9    - 1 John 3:23    

Q8. Why does "by grace" necessarily remove "through faith" from any association with man's exercise of faith?
- Rom 11:6 grace and works are mutually exclusive in the eternal salvation of sinners.
- So, “through faith” can have NOTHING to do with the believing act of man.

Q9. If a man is saved by grace through his act of believing, then he has at least some valid ground to boast, hasn't he?
- Yes, indeed.
- Then “through faith” CANNOT be associated with any activities of man. Otherwise, contradicts “lest any man…”

Q10. If he did not perform his act of believing, would he be saved by grace through his faith?
- No.
- Therefore “through faith” CANNOT be associated with any activities of man; otherwise, it’s through his works.

Q11. Since it's not through your act of faith, then you are saved through WHOSE faith, and WHAT is that faith?
- The faith OF Christ
- The faithfulness of Jesus Christ in his fulfilling all the conditions in saving/redeeming His people.

Q12. Have you read of the “faith of Christ," i.e. His faithfulness in executing the work of redeeming those given to Him by the Father?
- Romans 3:22 
- Galatians 2:16; 2:20; 3:22 
- Philippians 3:9

This is the gospel truth that has been repudiated in almost all modern translations. Check for yourself.

We are on a battlefield!

Ephesians 6:11
Put on the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil.

Dec 5, 2013
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10201108197162545&set=a.10201108195522504

This is no picnic ground... We are on a battlefield!

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12

We are in a war. If you are a spiritually minded child of God, you have enemies that you must be prepared to deal with.

Forget men in black or smoke-filled rooms of human conspirators that Hollywood portrays. These are angelic beings of great power and might. Read the book of Daniel and you will see their involvement in guiding the affairs of nations. Read the first few chapters of Job and you will see their leader, Satan, working in the life of a great saint of The Lord.

No Sig Sauer, AR15, or body armour of human construction means anything in this combat. This is a spiritual battle that is fought using different weapons. Those weapons and defences are not our concern today. The reality of the war and the nature of the opponents is.

Do you live with this is mind, that you have enemies that are actively seeking your spiritual destruction? If you were in Iraq or Afghanistan you would take precautions each day to protect your life against a determined enemy. Do you take the precautions to protect your spiritual life each day?

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8

We have a wise and powerful opponent, the Devil. He seduced our uncorrupted parents into sin in minutes (Gen 3). He is active today. Are you taking appropriate precautions against him?

Peter tells us that the Devil is active in the world. He is like a ravenous lion on the prowl. He is looking for easy prey to attack. Because of this, we must be ready.

Our first thought should be to recognize the serious nature of our adversary. This is not a time to rest, relax or play games. Sober thought needs to be a characteristic of our lives to face a serious, life-threatening enemy. Without careful, serious planning we can easily fall into his hands.

As in any warfare, we must be on guard. A clever enemy will attack with stealth, disguising his appearance and movements. So we must be ever vigilant, alert, and actively looking for him and his influence. Soldiers in combat know to never let their attention waver, so we must keep up our watch against Satan's attacks.

By Newell Eastland
============

Charles Page
"These are angelic beings of great power and might. Read the book of Daniel and you will see their involvement in guiding the affairs of nations. Read the first few chapters of Job and you will see their leader, Satan, working in the life of a great saint of The Lord."

Sing, please elaborate on this in an A-Mil context. Is Satan on the loose today and involved in guiding the affairs of the nations? asking as a disciple and not a discipler!

Bruce Hatcher
All those listed are obviously for defence...and then some might point out the sword. But, it is further described as, "the word of God," and as such, we use it as a defensive weapon, as well. When Christ is being tempted by satan he defends each attack with scripture. How often do we see the Lord attacking offensively with the Word? Spiritual Wickedness in High Places is not far removed...it is within me and is that the battle this is all about?

Sing F Lau
The specific end Satan was bound for "1000 years" is stated very clearly and precisely - "that he should deceive the nations no more." In that specific sense, Satan is bound.

Prior to the binding of Satan by Christ, nations (gentiles of all ethnic groups) were in darkness, under the deception of the Devil. After the binding, nations are liberated and enlightened by the gospel. People groups represented by you and me are proof of that.

That does not exclude Satan's continued mischief in the affairs of man!

Do you have the gospel without the righteousness of Christ?

(Read some notions spouted on a reformed group on Facebook)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/775537956487669/posts/1492075451500579/ 

Sing F Lau
No righteousness of Christ, no gospel.

Romans 1
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Jeff Thomas
Righteousness of God is the imputed (charged to the account) righteousness in the remission of sins.

God declares the account is no longer unrighteous in the matter that was forgiven.

The Gospel is the good news regarding the remission of sins.

Sing F Lau
The good news regarding the remission of sins is based solely and wholly on Christ's perfect obedience (securing the righteousness for our justification) and death (enduring the wrath of God for our forgiveness.).

No righteousness of Christ, no gospel.

Romans 1
16 ¶For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

For THEREIN (i.e. in the gospel) is the righteousness OF God's provision in Jesus Christ revealed from faith (that of the preacher who is not ashamed to preach the gospel) to faith (that of an effectually called elect who needs to be converted through the hearing of the gospel).

Jeff Thomas
You're inventing theosophy there. And you preached heresy...

Jesus's obedience to accomplish the sin offering is righteousness, but the righteousness imputed to men by God is not his righteousness in obedience.

God recompenses unto every man according to his deeds (Romans 2:6). The righteousness and or unrighteousness of men is according to their own deeds.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

The forgiveness of sins results in unrighteousness being cleansed or washed away and, the sentence due for sin is remitted. When unrighteousness is washed away, it leaves the person righteous or cleansed in the matter. This is imputed righteousness. God doesn't give someone else's good deeds to you, he forgives sins. Remission is via Christ. Hence it's the righteousness of God... God charges the account which was in sin no longer unrighteous in the matter that's forgiven.

Jesus never suffered any wrath, what a moronic anti-Christ ideology.

To suffer wrath the person must be imputed unrighteousness (charged with doing iniquity). Jesus was never charged with iniquity. Wrath is "the just punishment for a crime" (sin). God, who Jesus is, can't execute wrath on an innocent, that would make God, who Jesus is, unjust and himself, full of iniquity. And since Jesus is God, your imbecilic doctrine is teaching God executed wrath on himself... and that again would mean Jesus is wicked for doing injustice.

Christ is the sin offering and scapegoat offering. By his death, which was not punishment for he laid his life down, God conciliated mercy, a propitious disposition. God tasted death of the flesh or body and it moved him to be pitious to sinners who are condemned to immediate execution of death and therefore to be put to death in the flesh. He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. A propitiation is required to make propitious (gracious and merciful). So all that sin are preserved from destruction because of the mercies of God which he, God, conciliated in and through Christ. The death of Christ wasn't punishment (wrath) any more than the death of Stephen or Paul..

Because sinners have mercy, they continue to live. Because they continue to live, they CAN seek the remission of sins and by the remission of sins, the sentence of death is remitted... God surrenders his right to punish (remittance).

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news that the Saviour, taught to Adam and mankind, has come according to the scriptures. He was provided to be the propitiation for sins. Through Christ, sinners can obtain the remission of sins.

The righteousness of God is the remission of sins, God declares the forgiven sinner is no longer unrighteous.

Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

And there is no "effectual called elect" (smh). Your invented religiosity is nauseating.

Election in scripture refers to serving and servants called to some serving purpose. The Biblical elect are the Jews.

Sing F Lau
Sin is the transgression of God's law and brings condemnation and death.

Righteousness is obedience to God's law, and secured justification and life.

Romans 5:18 KJV — Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Jeff Thomas
You're an unlearned man.

The word "justify" and its variants mean to show or prove to be conformed to something.

JUSTIFY, v.t. [L. justus, just, and facio, to make.]

1. To prove or show to be just, or conformable to...

JUSTIFY, v.i. to suit; to conform exactly; in printing to form an even surface or true line with something else.

God wants all men without exception to be without blame... without sin. In the forgiveness of sins a person is declared without blame, without sin, without unrighteousness in that matter of forgiveness. They are therefore 'justified' or made or shown to be conformed exactly to what God wants for them I'm that matter.

In Romans 5:18 the phrase "justification unto life" is referring to be made conformed to live since the wages of sin is death (put to death in the flesh) and requires mercy in order to not be destroyed (Lamentations 3:22).

The free gift is the grace and mercy of God. This propitious disposition was won, gained or conciliated by the death of the sin offering. Christ's obedience in laying down his life to be the sin offering and atone for the Omnipresence of God, is what obtained the very mercy that every human being without exception enjoys all the days of their lives.

The free gift is grace. Grace is common to all men. All men, without exception, are by the grace of God, justified unto life.

"When I see the blood I will pass over you"

If a man is drawing the breath of life, it's because the Destroyer is passing over them for all have sinned and the wages of sin is death.

No Calvinist has ever had a clue what Romans 5 is teaching...

Sing F Lau
Thank you for demonstrating that you are a learned man.

"The free gift is grace. Grace is common to all men. All men without exception are by the grace of God, justified unto life...'

These are learned statements indeed!

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p/s 
"The free gift is grace."
The free gift is eternal salvation; grace speaks of the manner eternal salvation is bestowed to justly condemned sinners, i.e. freely without any condition.

"Grace is common to all men."
Grace is particular; God elected to save a particular people; Christ secured eternal salvation for the same particular people; the Spirit of God applies eternal salvation to the same particular people individually who were dead in trespasses and sin. 

"All men without exception are by the grace of God, justified unto life." If this were true, then hell and the Lake of fire is a big lie. 

What happens to the spirit at death?

"There is a particular judgment
which is immediately after death;
by virtue of which,
the souls of men are condemned
 to their proper state of happiness or woe."

November 10, 2023 

What happens to the spirit at death?

Hebrews 9 KJT
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Ecclesiastes 12 KJT
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

I was musing on these well-known passages, and some questions came to mind.

i. Does the statement in verse 27 include all men, including God's redeemed people? Do God's redeemed people face a judgement before God after death?

ii. Is the judgment spoken of a judgment immediately after each man's death or the final judgment at the distant end of the gospel age?
- Hardly any believe or preach the former anymore though most believe the latter.

iii. Is there a judgment at the end of a man's life on earth?
- I believe that Heb 9:27 declares this obvious truth. At death, the spirit of each man shall return to God for judgment.

iv. What is the basis of this judgment?
- The basis is every man according to their works.
- The basis of the final judgment is according to whether a man's name was written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

v. Who is the judge in this judgement?
- God Himself. The spirit shall return to God who gave it to face the said judgement in Heb 9:27.
- Christ shall be the judge during the final judgment. "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." It shall be a judgment WITHOUT reference to sin for the redeemed but unto glorification. Heb 9:28

This judgment determines where the man's spirit goes during the intermediate state between his physical death and the resurrection on the last day: either paradise or hell.

When was the last time you heard a sermon that there shall be a judgment for God's children immediately after their death and that this judgement shall determine where their spirits shall be during the intermediate state - either in paradise or in hell, awaiting their resurrection unto eternal glory.

---------

I checked John Gill's commentary on the second half of verse 27; he said thus:

"but after this the judgment"
- the last and general judgment, which will reach to all men, quick and dead, righteous and wicked, and in which Christ will be Judge. There is a particular judgment which is immediately after death; by virtue of which, the souls of men are condemned to their proper state of happiness or woe; and there is an universal judgment, which will be after the resurrection of the dead, and is called eternal judgment, and to come; this is appointed by God, though the time when is unknown to men; yet nothing is more certain, and it will be a righteous one."

Note his words, "There is a particular judgment which is immediately after death; by virtue of which, the souls of men are condemned to their proper state of happiness or woe."

During the intermediate state, the state of happiness is in paradise and the place of woe is in hell.

During the eternal state, the state of happiness is in heaven and the place of woe is in the lake of fire.

Protestant Man-made Doctrine - sola fidei

 

#protestant_traditions

Even so, many Protestants preach MAN-MADE DOCTRINES that say that so soon as an unjustified man believes, he is justified by his faith - the popular sola fidei, justification by faith alone.

It is obvious that this is a fable. An unjustified man is a man STILL in his native state of sin and condemnation of death; in such a state he is simply incapable of faith.

Only a man freely justified by the grace of God, i.e. only one to whom God HAS FREELY accounted the righteousness of Christ is capable of believing. The accounting of the righteousness of Christ to a condemned man in the justification of life gives divine warrant for the Spirit of God in regenerating the justified. Regeneration is logically followed by the adoption into the family of God accompanied the bestowal of the Spirit of adoption. This indwelling Spirit works in the justified fruit of the Spirit, of which faith is one.

Faith is an effect of justification by the free grace of God.

Romans 5:18 KJT
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Faith is the means/instrument to manifest the justification by the free grace of God. This has been twisted and perverted into faith as the means/instrument to obtain justification from God.

Dr John Gill on faith and justification:
"Faith is not the cause, but an effect of justification; it is not the cause of it in any sense; it is not the moving cause, that is the free grace of God... nor even the instrumental cause... it is not in any class of causes whatever, but it is the effect of justification... Now if faith is not the cause, but the effect of justification; then as every cause is before its effect, and every effect follows its cause, justification must be before faith, and faith must follow justification."

~~ A Body of Doctrinal Divinity Book II, Chapter V, section II. (1769)

Can the matter be stated any clearer?

An effect manifests, declares, demonstrates, and vindicates the cause of that effect.

Since "any teaching in the Church must be based on the Scriptures Alone," let's have it then:

Rom 3:24 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

The BASIS of God justifying the justly condemned:
- it's "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

The MANNER of God justifying the justly condemned:
- IT IS "freely by his grace."
- IT IS NOT by faith, much less by faith alone.

Faith manifests the justified state by the free grace of God JUST AS breath demonstrates life.

Stop being deceived!

Choose the Good Part

November 9, 2023

#prayingmantis

#choosethegoodpart

After our midweek Wednesday Bible study last night, while I was closing the roller
shutter (we meet in a 20' x52' shop lot on the first floor), this praying mantis landed on my left shoulder. It whispered into my ear, "Choose the Good Part"

Brief notes for the Bible study are pasted below.

Luke 10 KJT
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

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We were looking at Luke 10: 38-42

a. Jesus and His disciples are travelling to Jerusalem and arriving at Bethany, a village several km east of Jerusalem.
- In Bethany, they entered the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. It is in the context of this humble home of some of His dearest disciples that the narrative in this paragraph took place.
- There is a close connection between the previous parable and the present narrative. Be a loving neighbour is wonderful; but active love for the Lord is better, see v27. And the most basic expression of the love for the Lord our God is to be attentive to Him and His words.
- Yet this is one thing most commonly forgotten or neglected by many believers, you and me.

b. Well, Martha did a very commendable thing - she gladly received the Lord into her home, something commendable.
- But after she has welcomed the Lord into her home, what did she do? She gets busy preparing a meal for the Lord and His company. No doubt she does it all with a genuine desire to please the Lord, as an expression of her love and devotion to Him. But does the Lord approve of what she does?
- The spiritual malady brought to our attention by the Lord Jesus Christ is obvious; we are often sincerely distracted by many things which are unnecessary distractions.
- Let us consider our subject under three headings. The Lord has these to say to us…

1. Beware of Many Distractionz
a. The reality and constant danger distractions.

 b. The meaning of 'distracted':
- 'peris-taoo', in the passive, is 'letting yourself drawn or pulled in every direction...' a mind preoccupied with many things, a mind distracted with many cares, a mind drawn away from the chief object or purpose or duty.

 c. The manifestation of being distracted:
- Distractions usually lead to the neglect of our spiritual duties and privileges.

 d. The consequences of these distractions are dreadful: 'you are worried and troubled...'
- these distractions shall burden a child of God with worries and troubles. The word 'worried' - 'merimnaoo' literally means breaking into pieces. Martha was 'going to pieces' over all the things she is distracted with.
- 'troubled' means to be disturbed or upset... emotionally in turmoil, agitated. The heart and mind are unsettled and ravaged with so many unnecessary cares...

2. Choose the One Good and Needful Thing
a. 'But one thing is needful"'
- A few things are necessary in life... but only one is good & needful.

 b. 'Mary has chosen that good part.' In contrast to His gentle rebuke to Martha, the Lord Jesus commended Mary for her choice - Mary has chosen to act differently from her sister Martha.
- what Mary did was a deliberate choice... an intelligent choice informed by the will of God... she did not just get carried along like Martha did... being distracted by the many unnecessary things in life.
- She consciously chose to do what is needed and what is good. By a deliberate choice, she chooses to sit at the Lord's feet.

 c. In what sense is Mary's choice the 'good' part? We can think of several reasons readily...
-
-
-
-

What Constitutes Acceptable Worship

November 7, 2019
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/pfbid033C8yNJJZWv3NJRZf6RMfNYRTJHgSmrrn4uz3aNTDmDbM3cHCsF9MEdde7sNmot3Fl

What Constitutes Acceptable Worship

In our midweek meeting, we looked at chapter 22 of the 1689 CoF; there are 8 paragraphs, and we covered the first two. Some notes of the study:

1689.22. OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP AND THE LORD'S DAY

Introduction

a. The immediate historical context of this chapter was the controversy concerning "What constitutes acceptable worship?"
- Some insisted, "What is commanded is right, anything not expressly forbidden is permissible." Thus the church is free to innovate what is not expressly forbidden.
- Others insisted that the biblical doctrine is that in the worship of God, the church has NO authority to practice anything except what is expressly or by necessary inference enjoined by the word of God, i.e. "What is commanded is right, anything not commanded is wrong."
- This is known as the Regulative Principle of Worship; acceptable worship is strictly regulated by God Himself through His inspired Holy Scriptures.

b. The biblical argument for the Regulative Principle of Worship:
- It is the sole prerogative of God alone to determine the terms on which His creatures may approach Him in worship.  The Scriptures show that God exercises this prerogative, eg. Gen 4:1-5, Ex 20:4-6.
- When a man is conscious of the sovereignty of God and his salvation by free grace alone he will worship God in His terms. What a blasphemy for a man to think that he has any business in deciding how God is to be worshipped!
- The wisdom of Christ and the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures are denied by the addition of anything not expressly commanded into worship. Christ does not leave His redeemed people - with all their weakness, fickleness, ignorance and folly - without an adequate guide in the most important matter of worship.
- Since acceptable worship for the glory of God is a good work that a man of God is especially required to perform, then surely the Scriptures are adequate and able to equip the man of God for this blessed task. see Mt 28:20, 2Tim 3:16-17.
- The Scriptures explicitly condemns all worship that is not commanded by God (eg Gen 4:3-7; Lev 10:1-3;  Deut 12:29-32, 17:3; Josh 1:7; 23:6-8; Mt 15:13; Col 2:20-23). They are the sacrifice of fools, Ec 5:1.
- The introduction of extra-biblical practices into worship inevitably tends to nullify and undermine God's appointed worship (2Kg 16:10-18; Mt 15:3,8-9).
- 'O Lord, teach thy children to worship Thee acceptably.' Amen.*

1689.22.1
The light of nature shows that there is a God, who has lordship and sovereignty over all; is just, good and does good to all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might.(1)  But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself,(2) and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.(3)            1 Jer. 10:7; Mark 12:33  2 Deut. 12:32   3 Exod. 20:4-6

1. The Regulative Principle of Worship Stated (22:1)
a. The general duty revealed by nature:
- "The light of nature shows that there is a God..."
    : "... Who has lordship and sovereignty over all, is just and good, and who does good to all…"
    : "… and is, therefore, to be feared, loved and praised, called upon, trusted in, and  served..."
    : “… with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might.”

- Worship is justly OWED to the Creator by the creatures made in His image for all these natural reasons.
- Man is left without excuse for not doing his just and reasonable duty.

b. The specific rules divinely revealed by the Holy Scriptures:
- Positively "But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God has been instituted by Himself…"
- Negatively: “… and so limited by his own revealed will…”
- Therefore:
    : "that he may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men...'
    : "... nor the suggestions of Satan.
    : He may not be worshipped “under any visible representations..."
    : "... or by any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures."

Q. How does this paragraph explain John 4:23-24
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

1689.22.2
Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to him alone;4 not to angels, saints, or any other creatures;5 and since the fall, not without a mediator,6 nor in the mediation of any other but Christ alone.7     4 Matt. 4:9,10; John 6:23; Matt. 28:19.   5 Rom. 1:25; Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10.   6 John 14:6.    7 1 Tim. 2:5.

2. The Divinely Imposed Limits of Worship (22:2)
a. With respect to its object:
- Positively: "Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to Him (the Triune God) alone...'
- Negatively: "... not to angels, saints, or any other creatures."

b. With respect to the absolute necessity of a mediator
- "And since the fall, not without a mediator,” i.e. worship without a mediator is unacceptable.
- "... nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone".

Q. Why is worship to be given to God alone?
Q. Why the necessity of a mediator?
Q. Why is Christ alone the acceptable mediator?

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Q. On what ground did Christ make such an exclusive claim?

3. The NT Components of Worship (22:3-5a)

- to be continued

Faith is an evidence of justification by grace

Even so, it is supposed that God justifies only those who believe.
But this is to put the cart before the horse.
Faith is not the instrument of justification, but
the consequence of justification freely by God's grace.

November 7, 2023
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#justification_regeneration_adoption_faith

#justification_manifested_by_faith

EVEN SO, faith is the consequence of justification by God's free grace.

Why? An unjustified man is still in his native state of condemnation and death, incapable of faith. Elementary. Period.

With the accounting of the righteousness of Christ in justification, freely by God's grace, IT IS UNTO justification of LIFE. LIFE enables faith.

Romans 5:18 KJV — Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Justification by God's free grace based on the righteousness of Christ alone is logically followed by the regeneration by the Holy Spirit; regeneration is accompanied by the adoption by the Father and the bestowal of the Spirit of adoption to dwell in the justified; the indwelling Spirit works the grace of faith in the child of God, enabling him to believe.

Romans 8:15 KJT
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Please note: eternal salvation is the gift,  not faith; faith is a saving grace, among all others, worked in a child of God by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Eph 2:8; Gal 5:22.

"The reason why any are justified IS NOT because they have faith; but the reason why they have faith IS because they are justified." Dr John Gill and ALL his old-school Baptist contemporaries.

The new school Baptists - whether the Calvinistic or  the Arminian  variety - believe the reverse, i.e.  "The reason why any are justified IS because they have faith." That's ALSO putting the cart before the horse but they are oblivious of their folly.

O LORD, open Thou their eyes to see the error of their ways and convert them to the gospel truth.

James 5 - KJT
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. 

The Remnant

A Venn diagram showing the remnant.

A classic passage on the idea of the remnant.

Matthew 7 KJT
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

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I often say that heaven, according to the popular reformed understanding, is sparsely populated - because only the elite super believers like them can make it there. It's a work-based system; one must be good enough to qualify for a place in heaven. And only a small remnant of the human race qualifies for heaven.

The Scriptures give quite a different picture.

Revelation 7:9 KJV — After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.

This is by grace alone.

God created man (male and female) in His own image, and it was *very good*. He graciously entered into a covenant of work with them to permanently confirm them in that *very good* state. Adam had all the ability to obey but Adam chose death.

If God had left the whole race to justly perish, He would still be perfectly just and righteous. That He did choose to save a vast multitude is incredibly astounding... That's grace!

That God chose a vast multitude in the Covenant of Redemption is both amazing and humbling.

Too many people are completely muddled about the idea of the remnant spoken of in the Bible. The remnant is a smaller part of the vast multitude embraced by the Covenant of Grace.

The human race is divided into two groups - the elect and those bypassed.

The remnant is part of a (singular) bigger group. The larger group of which the remnant is part is God's elect and redeemed by Christ.

Of the vast multitudes of God's redeemed, only a remnant of them are believing and faithful; the rest of them are not... However, ALL OF THEM shall be resurrected to glory and receive their eternal inheritance in heaven.

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By Faith Abraham... in Gen 11

By faith Abraham, when he was called
 to go out into a place which
he should after receive for an inheritance,
obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
In Gen 11, Abraham was already exercising faith. 

 

#byfaithAbraham

Hebrews 11:8 sheds much light on Gen 15:6. 
May the Lord give you understanding. Amen.

Hebrews 11 - KJT
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Genesis 12 KJT
1 Now the LORD had said [past perfect - i.e. said to him way back in Gen 11] unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee...
4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

Abram was ALREADY a man of faith and obedience when he was called by the LORD to leave his father's house in the Ur of the Chaldees. Earlier, the LORD had effectually called him out of his native state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation in the promised Messiah.

To call an elect out of his native state of sin and death to that state of grace and salvation in Jesus Christ, these divine activities must take place, in this number and logical order:
- justification by God's grace to deal with condemnation; justification reverses the condemnation due to sins;
- regeneration by the Spirit of God to deal with the spiritual deadness due to sins; and
- adoption by the Father into the divine family deals with the alienation due to sins.
Adoption is always accompanied by the bestowal of the Spirit to dwell in the adopted.

These divine activities - three in number, and in that logical number - are necessary to bring an elect out of his native state of sin and death to that state of grace and salvation in Jesus Christ.

Abraham's faith and obedience when called to leave the Ur of the Chaldees is concrete evidence that he has been effectually called - justified, regenerated, adopted, and bestowed with the Spirit of adoption to dwell in him.

If this is true, then what about the passage in Genesis 15?. What about it? Let's take a look.

Genesis 15 KJT
4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Abraham believed in the LORD concerning His words on the promised seed; this promised seed is none other than Christ. (Galatians 3:16 KJT — Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.)

Abraham's faith, his act of believing the LORD's promise, was counted to him for righteousness, i.e. to experience the blessedness of his justified state by the free grace of God.

NOTE CAREFULLY, there is no accounting of Christ's righteousness to Abraham; therefore there is no justification in this passage. Abraham's justification by the LORD had taken place way back in the Ur of the Chaldeans.

What happened here Gen 15:6 is Abraham experiencing the blessedness of his justified state, by the LORD's free grace, through believing/faith in the promised seed.

Apostle Paul marshalled Abraham as proof to repudiate the Judaizers' insistence that ceremonial laws must be observed. Abraham experienced that blessedness WITHOUT observing any ceremonial laws. PERIOD. Romans 4:1-5.

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"The reason why any are justified 

is not because they have faith;

 but the reason why they have faith

 is because they are justified." 
Dr. John Gill

New-school Calvinists are Arminians in Essence

 

October 14, 2011
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/pfbid0DyTptTc5XCKb12yWgRxyvEgYPLao6wDUP2gSrUJzi18NMDK453F6xA5yxiBgqhnal

A teacher states the following about hyper-calvinism:

1. Denies that the gospel call applies to all who hear,
OR
2. Denies that faith is the duty of every sinner,
OR
3. Denies that the gospel makes any “offer” of Christ, salvation, or mercy to the non-elect (or denies that the offer of divine mercy is free and universal),
OR
4. Denies that there is such a thing as “common grace,”
OR
5. Denies that God has any sort of love for the non-elect.
-------

What do you think of each of them... regardless of who believes or rejects them? 
Let's dissect each one of them.

Joseph
Re: #1 - affirm
Re: #2 - affiirm
Re #3 - while the gospel is given to be disseminated generally, it will only have its effect especially. It is to be delivered with the command to repent & be converted to all men under its sound, yet it will only have its effect on the regenerated elect (whether regenerate at the time of hearing or to be regenerated at some time in the future). Since we know not the state of all men, we as ministers are to broadcast and let the Lord work the effect.
Re: #4 - if by "common grace" is meant the rain falling on the elect & the non-elect, blessings on the house of a non-elect as a benefit stemming from blessings upon an elect in their household, etc., then I agree. If by "common grace" one means there is sufficient grace bestowed upon the non-elect to allow for their redemption, then I proclaim "hogwash"!
Re: #5 - affirm. The Lord hates the wicked, and that right proper!

Michael
A belief in the sovereign election and particular redemption coupled with the Fullerite idea of a "free offer" of salvation to all via the gospel makes for an uncomfortable indictment of the Veracity of God. How is the claim that God offers salvation to those who are not embraced in His covenant favour morally consistent with Divine Holiness? Our God is not schizophrenic.

Sing
The elitist Calvinists are oblivious to their utter inconsistencies and confusion... while they haughtily bash their 'intellectually' inferior 'Arminians' cousins! <LOL>

5. Denies that God has any sort of love for the non-elect.

Let's deal with this first.
A biblical distinction is the essence of sound theology.

God, as the Creator, in the covenant of creation, bound Himself to love and take care of all His creatures.

God, as the Redeemer, in the covenant of redemption, bound Himself to love His elect only.

Redemptive love of the Redeemer is restricted to the elect only.

The providential love of the Creator extends to all His creatures.

When someone is incapable of distinguishing the two, he should just keep quiet for a while instead of denying this and that.

Michael 
Regarding #4 and #5, it is crucial to distinguish between God's benevolence (His general goodwill toward all His creatures, arising from His loving nature) and God's love of complacency (His special, particular affection for his own and the delight He finds in relationship with them). When Scripture speaks of God's "love", it speaks in terms of the second definition. When His benevolence is under consideration, it speaks of His kindness, goodness, etc (i.e. "His tender mercies are over all His works;" "The Lord is good to all...").

Sing 
1. Denies that the gospel call applies to all who hear...

The gospel is the good news of what HAS HAPPENED, i.e. what the Triune God has done to save for Himself a people.

And the gospel call is to call out those whom God has saved to believe the truth of such salvation by the power and grace of God.

The gospel call is IRRELEVANT to all of them who are not embraced in the redemptive work of God. To say otherwise is to impugn upon the wisdom and character of God...

The preacher DOES NOT need to know who the elect are to declare that the gospel is relevant ONLY to those embraced in the redemption by Jesus Christ. Scriptures declare plainly that Christ came to save His people... and the gospel is relevant to His people only... and the gospel call is relevant to His people only.

If some preachers are schizophrenic, God is not.

God is not like the US government. Only the US government offers everything to the people in the USA - legal citizens as well as illegal aliens! Worse, often favouring the criminals.

Only universalists can consistently insist that the gospel call applies to all who hear... since they believe Christ died to save all, and the decision of the hearers determines their salvation!

Sing 
2. Denies that faith is the duty of every sinner

If believing in Jesus Christ is the duty of every sinner, then Christ must have died for every sinner.

... if you are not a stiff-necked die-hard Calvinist, you will protest that Christ did not die for every sinner.

Ok, if Christ did not die for every sinner, and you insist that it is the duty of every sinner to believe that Jesus Christ is their Savior, are you not insisting that it is the duty of some sinners to believe something which is not true of them, i.e. to believe a fat lie.

Ah, that your god - one who requires people to believe a lie, and permits his servants to peddle LIES. It is like Obama telling all of them illegal aliens that they are citizens... welcome to the USA!

That duty is imposed by some liars so that many sinners are to believe a LIE! Let God be true but every man a LIAR!

That's not the God I believe. The God I believe requires His people to believe the truth of their salvation by His free and sovereign grace.

Sing
3. Denies that the gospel makes any “offer” of Christ, salvation, or mercy to the non-elect (or denies that the offer of divine mercy is free and universal),

Please go and offer some food to the dead, like the superstitious heathen do, before you deny this or affirm that <LOL>

Christ said, 'GO... FEED... FEED... FEED my sheep... lambs...'

Deceived and deluded preachers think they are sent to go around to OFFER... OFFER... OFFER... and offering to the dead in trespasses and sins, with the hope that their offering may be blessed to bring eternal life to the dead!!!

Go and FEED... but only deceived and deluded preachers believe that the Lord Jesus tells them to go and FEED the dead!

Could there be a greater tragedy than this confusion! This must surely be one of those doctrines of the devils warned by Apostle Paul... 1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Think about this:

Offering salvation to those who are still dead in their trespasses and sin is plain foolishness.... as foolish as the superstitious Chinese do offer food to their dead ancestors! They even offer paper Rolls Royce to them.

Offering salvation to those who are saved (already effectually called to grace and salvation) is equally foolish, and presumptuous... the offer not only comes too late but is also irrelevant. Why offer salvation to someone whom God has already bestowed salvation by His free and sovereign grace? Shameless presumption to do so!

So, to whom are the preachers, Calvinists and Arminains alike, offering salvation? (as though they were sent out to OFFER salvation!)

Christ didn't send His servants out to OFFER anything. The devil does that. Christ sends out His servants to FEED His sheep, the elect whom He has given eternal life.

They are sent to proclaim the good news of salvation to God's children, thus nourishing them with the truth of their salvation by God's free and sovereign grace.

Charles
@Joseph, you said "whether regenerate at the time of the hearing or to be regenerate at some time in the future"

Would regeneration clearly have to be accomplished in the past before hearing?

Charles
On the surface, I am in agreement with all the above. However 'Hyper-Calvinism" is akin to the Word we use here in America to define African Americans "nigger" Both words are defamatory and ridiculing

You cannot name a single hyper-Calvinist to my understanding. To my knowledge, the closest comes to Abraham Kuyper, yet I have two of his books I read and it is good Calvinism, no free offer!

Sing
Would regeneration clearly have to be accomplished in the past before hearing?
========

The issue is whether regeneration is conditioned upon hearing of the gospel and whether the gospel is the necessary means to bring about regeneration.

The sincere gospel regenerationists insist that without their preaching, there CAN BE no regeneration.

Regeneration is independent of human means.

Gospel may have been preached to an unregenerate. he will think the preacher a foolish babbler... and the gospel foolishness.

Sing 
To all the new-school Calvinists, all the old-school Calvinists are hyper-Calvinists.

However, the tragedy is, that many new school Calvinists are embracing bland Arminianism now... e.g. "saving faith precedes imputed righteousness."

The new-school Calvinists are just a deluded bunch... they make themselves the standard.... those to their right are hyper... and those to their left are Arminians.

Charles
@Joseph, you said "whether regenerate at the time of hearing or to be regenerate at some time in the future"

Would regeneration clearly have to be accomplished in the past before hearing?

Sing
Would regeneration clearly have to be accomplished in the past before hearing?
=======

Depends on what hearing you have in mind?

Without regeneration, there would be no hearing of spiritual things.

Of course, a man might have been preached to and heard the gospel outwardly... but there can be no spiritual hearing without the new birth!

Charles
The canon of Dordt rejected the notion that regeneration and believing could be at the same time and nearly indistinguishable and yet in essence this is precisely the modern Reformed position. Its position is one itti bitti step into Arminianism something they adamantly deny!!!

The SBC is one itti bitti step going into reformed theology soon they will unite into a one world religion. That's syncretism for you!

Sing
The half-baked Calvinists are calling the old-school reformed people hyper... not realizing it is they themselves that have degenerated toward bland Arminianism!!!

Charles
It is not idle playful talk Sing, it is anguishing truth especially for me right now, this very morning. It is a tormenting truth that has ripped my own family apart and when I speak to them about all this "Calvinism" they are mean and attack me even though we have a criminal pervert as a part of our faction. My own daughter has now said if Danny (the pervert) and Daddy are going to heaven then I want to go to hell.

Sing
Brother, I assure you that I experience some of those perverse hateful talk all because we desire them to know the truth!

Truth is no idle talk... and all who would live godly SHALL suffer persecution.